Gentleman NRI shopkeeper killed for cigarettes, sweets

LONDON - British police have launched a murder hunt after a gang of teenagers in northern England killed an Indian-origin shopkeeper described by locals as a gentleman, who would do anything for anyone.

Gurmail Singh, a 63-year-old father of two, suffered head injuries in the robbery by four teenagers at his shop in Huddersfield Saturday and died in hospital Sunday.

The four youths in their late teens entered the store at around 8.30 p.m. and left with a small amount of cash, cigarettes and confectionary, police said.

“It was a robbery but they stole the takings from the till, some cigarettes and sweets. It is hardly a major crime and that makes it all the more sad that he died in this way,” a police spokesman said.

Six men from a nearby pub tried to stop the robbers, but they managed to escape after a struggle, a spokesman for the regional West Yorkshire police said.

“We are also investigating whether there is any link with an incident on Thursday evening in which two youths tried to steal something from the shop and were in an altercation with Mr Singh,” the spokesman said.

After Thursday’s reported incident, Singh was said to have told neighbours he did not want to confront the youth because they were a lot bigger than him.

Singh, a long-time resident of the area, was popular with locals, who were shocked by the murder.

“You couldn’t wish to meet a nicer bloke than Mr Singh, neighbour Ian Davison said.

Even in the snow he was pulling his sledge up here with his grandson, making sure the papers got delivered.”

Sandra Ward, another neighbour, described him as “a gentleman” who provided the local community with a “fantastic service” by working long hours seven days a week.

The landlord of the nearby Shepherds Arms pub said: “Gurmail was a lovely man - he’d do anything for anyone. It’s tragic.”